Khinkali is eaten plain, or with coarse black pepper. The meat filling is uncooked when the khinkali is assembled, so when cooked the juices of the meat are trapped inside the dumpling. The khinkali is typically consumed first by sucking the juices while taking the first bite, in order to prevent the dumpling from bursting. The top, where the pleats meet, is tough, and is not supposed to be eaten, but discarded to the plate so that those eating can count how many they have consumed. In Georgia, this top is called the "kudi" (Georgian: ქუდი, hat) or "kuchi" (Georgian: კუჭი, stomach).

The towns of Dusheti, Pasanauri and Mtskheta are particularly famous for their khinkali. There are different varieties in the cities compared to the country, and these include khevsuruli khinkali (which doesn't contain parsley) and kalakuri khinkali (with thinly chopped parsley).[6]